1949 Hobbs of Barbican Raceweight

Nearly sold this recently. Some issues that I think I've sorted acceptably now.
Too big for me (55.5 cm sq.) but I want to ride a Hobbs, briefly, just to know.
A quick 'n dirty, fully reversible, build is thus required.
Steel will be preserved, possibly even painted. There is a wacky idea in the can on that front.
A donor 70's/80's basket case racer will likely be repurposed - and most of those parts will live on.

Fascinating how Hobbs relocated to Dagenham, post 1945 Barbican bombing, to the Sterling Works that made the machine gun.

Nice one!
Has there been bosses for down tube shifters brazed on?
What are you thinking for the groupset?

I have a '46 Raceweight, lovely machine to ride. Look forward to following progress.

1946 Hobbs of Barbican by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

I look forward to seeing the results! Any detailed thoughts at the moment?

Thanks chaps.
Yes, there's been a downtube shifter braze on added, plus a derailleur hanger welded on. The welding looked a little rough, almost like the dropout had fractured and been repaired but some deft fettling proved that was not the case and it's much tidier now.

I'll use whatever group I can get for my short-term purposes. Shame, as I did have part Nuovo Record plus some copycat NOS Zeus.

So purists prepare to be outraged....I've never liked steel cranks, cottered axles.
I guess Clubmen would have had no qualms in the 60's and 70's about upgrading as kit moved on.

Hopefully it will be as nice to ride as my eponym!